What Can a Care Manager Do For Me?

When it comes to finding eldercare for a loved one there can be a steep learning curve. Between finding options in care, to managing medical needs, it can be overwhelming. Check out the video above, "What Can a Care Manager Do for Me?" to understand the tangible ways that Care s are helping families reduce family stress and find solutions to their unique elder care needs.

Video Text :: WHAT CAN A CARE MANAGER DO FOR ME?

We are so excited for May, because it is National Geriatric Care Management Month. As a care management company, we are drawing attention to this group of professionals who are reshaping the way we go about eldercare. Care Management is something still new to our culture. It's hard to define and not readily understood, however, I believe it is and will continue to be an invaluable resource to our aging society, tackling the same issues in eldercare.

So let's talk about what Care Management is and what it can do for families. According to the National Association of Geriatric Care Managers, it is a holistic, client-centered approach to caring for older adults or disabled persons. The goal is to improve the client's quality of life, safety, and reduce family stress. The key to understanding Care Management is really about seeing the ways those core goals are executed:

So, let's go through a few of the tangible ways care managers assists families:

When it comes to housing and transitions, Care Managers help families evaluate and select appropriate residential options in accordance with their needs, values, and wishes.

In determining the care need of the whole person, they also create a formal plan to address those needs. As part of that process they will also assist families in engaging and setting up appropriate services, such as in-home care. They can also monitor the living environment to optimize safety and reduce the risk of falls.

As a Registered Nurse or Master Level Social Worker, Care Managers provide medical management, which can be the biggest relief to families. They can attend doctor appointments, ask question, advocate for the aging adult, and monitor their adherence and response to doctor's orders. They also act as a liaison between the many medical professionals, family, and caregivers involved in care. Having this guide through the healthcare maze can save an incredible amount of time and money.

This brings me to communication, which is hugely important in dealing with the complexity of caring for a human being. Care s keep family members, living near and far, informed as to the loved one's well-being and changing needs. This close supervision allows them to take a proactive approach, making small adjustments before they become bigger problems later.

A huge component of care is engagement with life. Care Managers provide opportunities for the client to engage in social, recreational or cultural activities that keep minds and body active and really enrich life.

When it comes to the legal aspects of eldercare, from Power of Attorney to Advance Directives, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Care Managers can coach families through those daunting to-do lists and refer to elder law attorneys. They also can oversee bill paying and work with a client's power of attorney to review budget planning.

Hopefully those details will give you a picture of the holistic approach that Care Managers take to eldercare. Whether you are managing a crisis or are doing advanced eldercare planning, a Care Manager is an incredible support in every sense of the word. For more information about Geriatric Care Management Services in the Puget Sound area you can visit SoundOptions.com. To find a local certified geriatric care manager anywhere in the United States, visit Care Manager.org.